Around 50 residents and tradespeople have therefore joined forces to fight against the decline of their neighbourhood. They are documenting the situation on Instagram under @bastayapferreria and calling on the city council to finally take action.
One of them is Cristina Roncal, owner of the organic bakery Panenostro, which opened in 2019. She reports increasingly frightening incidents: ‘The situation has been escalating since February. Junkies come into the shop and ask for aluminium foil. I didn't know what it was for - until someone explained to me that they use it for injecting.’
The list of problems is long: drug dealers go about their business undisturbed, prostitutes crowd in from the nearby Porta de Sant Antoni, people relieve themselves on the street in the middle of the day. Sergio, owner of the restaurant L'Informal Tacos, explains: ‘They come into our crowded restaurant, ask for cigarettes, money - or steal spoons to inject themselves with.’
According to the police, this place is now one of the most dangerous in Palma. The city council has so far not taken any action.
The residents' anger is growing. Because the city council is not responding to complaints, they have started an online petition. In it, they demand a daily, permanent police presence and the closure of drug sales points and ‘places of sexual exploitation’.
Another factor in the deterioration of the situation is the proximity to the Zaqueo soup kitchen, which is only a few metres away. ‘Some of its visitors simply throw their leftover food onto the square or leave rubbish lying around. This attracts rats, cockroaches and diseases,’ reads an open letter from local residents.
7 comments
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Sibe MentoYou need to get out more, it happens in every big city.
Sibe MentoOnly in Palma? Clearly you haven’t been to many cities.
Palma - the only place in the world I have seen people injecting heroin on the streets in broad daylight. Palma - the only place in the world I have seen an on duty police officer smoking. Herein lies the problem — the police do nothing.
I also live nearby and know the area well. It doesn't really compare to Correa, La Soledad and Son Gotleu in what people think of as rough areas.
Zoltan TeglasIt's a bit more lively than most areas. I live reasonably close and pass through on average twice a day. The problems that I see are mainly internal between the various groups. If the prostitute alley was closed down and the cheap alcohol shops as well, you would see a change, but that change would become another barrio's problem. What to do? I don't kin know, it's just kicking the can down the road.
Who come up with these stories? It must be the most expensive (property) no go area in Europe. So there some 'down and outs' around there at times. Like every other city in Europe then.
It's not a no go area, it's a steady as go area.